Specifically the theory that High School and College athletes should not race often, at least not often run 100% efforts.
I was wondering if racing could potentially provide a training benefit, in the way a speed workout or temp run might, so long as the race is a relatively short distance (800m-5k)
A great deal of emphasis is placed on stressing each system that contributes to your race (Lactate Threshold, VO2 Max, etc) in the proper proportion and amount. It seems to me that the best way to train the systems used over a specific distance, would be to race that distance. If the 3k relies heavily on an athlete's VO2 Max (I'm not sure about the physiology, just throwing out an example) then racing 3k should provide an excellent stress for the system, and promote growth.
Is the reason you shouldn't race often simply a matter of recovery, that the same or more benefits could be gained throughout the week in time that would otherwise be used as recovery after a race? Is the issue that racing somehow is an ineffective way to work on the systems in the athlete's body? Does an athlete simply not have that many races in them in a season?
I just seem to think that it is possible to gain a great deal, physically, from a race.